Plaza Tapatia Restaurant

We’ve been coming here for several years. Even before COVID and during COVID as well. What kept us coming back was the “molé” sauce. Many Mexican restaurants only offer red or green sauce. Molé is very complex and no two are alike. This had a touch spice and complex flavors. We visited last Sunday. I had my usual cheese enchiladas with molé mainly because I’m vegetarian and there’s not much to choose from for me. But I’ve always been happy with the dish. Gradually we noticed a decline in flavor. This time was the last for me. I told waitress. It was very bland and watered down. I couldn’t finish it. I thought ok well I’ll take the rest home and doctor it up. But I wound up throwing it out. The Fall inspired sangria was supposedly a cinnamon flavor but it was just another sangria to me. I made sure to tell the server to speak with the chef because basically…. We won’t be returning. She said “sorry” and walked away. Well that’s not good for business because word of mouth can make or break a business. I think they’re cutting corners. We will go elsewhere.

My husband and I really enjoyed ourselves. We were greeted as soon as we walked in. Our waitress was very nice and attentive. Chips and salsa ( green and red) were immediately served. My Margarita was perfect! Not too sweet. I ordered enchiladas with green salsa. Very good very flavorful. My husband ordered a chimichanga and had no complaints. Can’t wait to return to try other dishes.

festive decor. Food good. Menu items are classic Mexican American favorites. Delicious Frozen drinks!

Authentic, cozy restaurant. DELICIOUS traditional Mexican specialties and all the best staples. We tried 4 different dishes, and all 4 were perfect. Our waitress was so attentive and friendly AND THE MANGO MARGARITAS were fantastic!!!

Decent Mexican restaurant with a typical menu you’d expect. Quality of the food was fine but it was missing something as far as flavor was concerned. We all asked for the spiciest level of sauce on our chimichangas and enchilada but found them to be lacking and had to pour a lot of extra sauce on top.

Would not recommend. Waited over an hour for our food. They give you a spoon of sour cream and then wanna charge you a dollar extra for more. Poorly seasoned steak in tacos. Use gyro meat in the fajitas even though the menu says skirt steak. Didn’t even get our drinks while we waited for our food. Food was cold. Would literally never come back.

Strong margaritas! Tasty carne asada dish, nobody really there but staff was very nice. Btw gratuity is included in the bill.

This is a Mexican restaurant in the back of a Mexican supermarket. We go here for dinner every summer— many times— whenever we’re at the beach. The food is amazing . Cooked fresh to order. They’re from Jalisco and I don’t know what to say other than try this place . It’s the best.

So let's talk about the food. Ordered a guacamole, chicken enchiladas and sopes. The food was good not spicy at all. If you like spice might not be for you. SERVICE WAS TERRIBLE, only ordered 1 margarita because no one came back to our table to ask if we wanted more drinks. had to go find our waitress to get the check. They had no hostess, busser or runner. The place was not crowded at all, all employees were in the back doing other chores. FYI - they automatically add 18% gratuity no matter what size party you have. It was 2 of us at the table.

Pretty good food. nice atmosphere. Was amazed they automatically add 18% gratuity and for that reason will not go back. I gave the waitress an additional $5.00 and left. we were a party of 2.

I've heard a lot of great things about this place so my expectations were sky high.... And they delivered! Great ambiance, super friendly and efficient staff and the food was a solid 10/10. Can't wait to go back!

Food 9/10. Service 5/10. Improvement needed. Walked in and there was a wait which is expected as the place is small. We were seated and it seemed like we were forgotten about. The staff kept walking past us without glancing over. After 15 minutes, someone finally came by with chips and salsa and said that they would be right back. Wonderful for chips and salads, but no waters? I asked if they could bring water and that took another 10 minutes. No straws either. I ended up walking to the bar to get my own straws. I wasn't waiting another 10 minutes for that. The chips and salsa were amazing! We finished the entire thing! Margaritas were also great! Food then came out. Steam and shrimp enchiladas. Very nicely prepared and delicious. Sadly, it was dropped off to us with no utensils. At this point, I was getting a bit annoyed. My boyfriend got up to ask someone to give us a fork to eat. As we ate, we noticed three other tables came in asking for utensils because the staff had forgotten to provide it to them as well. Small things that make a huge difference. Hopefully they can improve on customer service, as it's a shame since the food is fantastic.

The carne asada and flautas were great! The free chips and dips are also great! What's not great is the weird tasting coke and the poor service. While not full the restaurant, it took quite a while for the drinks to come.. we even finished all the chips and no soda or beer arrived and even after a follow up it took a while.

This place has really fallen off lately. Pick your poison: declining food quality / taste, laughably small portions (half our party was still hungry afterwards), or the questionable business policies (auto 20% gratuity added to bill, 3.5% credit card surcharge added to bill). It's no longer a hands down favorite in the area - will have to give Jose's in Spring Lake (another old favorite) a look instead.

This place is as authentic and delicious as it gets for Mexican food down the shore! Offering outdoor seating during COVID times, they are serving up massive portions of fresh food served with fresh tortillas, grilled onions, peppers, and everything is mouth-watering and the perfect cap to your beach day! I had a platter of Al Pastor (spicy pork with pineapple) tacos that came with a mountain of rice, beans, cheese, and grilled veggies. Needless to say, it was hard to finish and all meals were very reasonably priced. Cocktails such as their sangria and margaritas are just alright. They are somewhat strong but don't have a great mixer flavor that contributes to a tasty drink. There is a lot of parking on the side of the restaurant, chances are if you are hoping to enjoy a meal outside you'll be waiting around 25-40 minutes!

We stopped at this place by chance and we are so glad we did! Talking about authentic, fresh and affordable food!!! Great experience! Walking through the supermarket with loads of Mexican merchandise, fresh produce and tons of spices, we discover a café in thé back... Tables are sparce, due to safe distance requirements. We order at thé counter through à plexiglass, 2 orders of mixed tacos; 3 each. We sat at one of thé tables after all, table and chairs are sanitized. After à short wait the order is ready. We head out to get our food and partake in thé many delish sauces offered to enjoy! The dishes presentation des amazing! But the taste and freshness of the dish was even better! Truly à gem of Mexican cooking right in town!

Went to asbury beach and was craving tacos since it was taco Tuesday! Was recommended to try this place by a friend of a friend. To be honest I was very skeptical to try this place. But they're a couple of people outside dining here so my friends and I have it a shot. We started with an order of chips and guac of course. Can't go to a taco spot without trying there guac. The guac was okay. Had to ask for lime to give it more of a taste. What got me was when we got the bill the large size of guac we placed was $16. I was baffled when I saw that price because that's a lot of money for guacamole especially mediocre. We also placed an order of sangria. Which I wish I would've tried the margarita instead. The sangria tasted like straight up wine. Wasn't my fave. For my main entrée I ordered the steak tacos. The tacos came with an order of rice and a side of beans. The tacos were average nothing spectacular about them. But I did like the fact that each entrée came with a little jalapeño so if you wanted to spice it up a bit you have the option to do that. It definitely was a good portion size of food as well. Our waitress was also very prompt and courteous. She was always coming around to check up on us. Which made this experience that much better. Overall definitely a place to come to when you're down the shore and craving tacos.

Wow, we haven't been here in a little while but things really went down hill. I can't comment on food because it never came. We waited an hour after ordering then left. After sodas arrived we never saw the waitress again until we had to tell her we are leaving. Not sure if it's because the other tables were ordering alcohol and our bill wasn't going to be large enough for the waitress to card (vegetable burrito and flauntas... nothing complicated). After we found her and told her the situation she was not very nice about it AT ALL. We basically nicely told her we want to leave because of what happened and she was made us pay $8 for the two sodas we ordered. No sorry, no nothing. I worked in the industry for over ten years, I know things happen in the kitchen, people make mistakes, but table abandonment and attitude when we just say we wanted to leave at that point with no sorry was unacceptable. We will not be returning here again, nor will our families. I recommend La Sierra on Main Street in Belmar, that place is authentic and they care so much! Thanks

So disappointed. The food is PHENOMENAL. I have been coming here for years especially for their fajitas special which USED TO BE before Covid, half priced on Thursdays. Now they're half priced if you by one you get one half priced. With this being said I had a party of five and we came and ordered 4 orders of fajitas expecting them to be every other one half off. Not only was my bill wrong, but when I explained that their advertising all over Facebook and the tvs in the store display this special, she denied it? Our sever then said we would have had to tell her and we would have gotten a smaller portions. I'm just very confused and upset because it was embarrassing and false advertising. I do not speak Spanish as a first language but I can read and write it fluently and I understood all of their advertisements. I'm unsure why they tried to charge us more ... upsetting. I am a sever and you make better tips being honest than swindling knowledge. So advice from me: Clearly state if you want to participate in their advertised deals.

I am between 3-4 stars .... Place is located on Main Street. There is street parking which isn't too hard to find. Some sketchiness at times but overall I felt safe. Came with a large group.... this place is authentic Mexican compared to other places I've been to in the area. Menu is large and slightly overwhelming. Check out the specials of the day as well.... Sangria is decent.... and even better when it's half priced during the week. I walked in when it was relatively empty but it was packed when I left ... and that was on a Tuesday! Standard chips for the table- they give you a green sauce or a spicy salsa We tried the GUAC app which was ok... definitely fresh but it needed something- lime or onion or jalapeño... it was kinda bland to me We also shared a chorizo cheese dip which was pretty good I tried the enchilada (special of the casa)... pretty good but it came out semi- warm instead of hot ... they give you a lot so you are definitely bringing home doggie bags. I'd come back with a group - otherwise I probably won't go on my own if i was in the area

We ordered chicken and steak tostadas to go, and the only reason I deducted a star was because the tostadas were missing avocado :( otherwise, they were delicious and we enjoyed them. We will be back again for sure!

This used to be my go to place for delicious Mexican food. Took some friends there from out of town(Mexican food fanatics) and was shocked at how bad the food was. For the first time ever, the dining room was empty.I guess the word is out, I just never got the message.

During the past decade, Asbury Park has enjoyed a renaissance and several excellent restaurants have opened. Recently, The Newark Star Ledger listed the top 10 in AP and Plaza Tapatia made the list. This ranking along with glowing reports from local friends led us to finally dine here last evening. It is right on busy Main Street (Route 71), but once you step inside you are transported back to old world Mexico. We arrived about 530 pm and the restaurant was not crowded, but it filled up during the next hour (with Spanish-speaking patrons and Gringos). This place is the real deal - authentic Mexican food. In NJ, about 1/3 of restaurants have liquor licenses, but in AP about 95% serve alcohol. I like to go to BYOBs because I dislike buying a $15 bottle of wine for $50 ($40 on menu plus tax and tip). My frugality is one of the reasons I avoided Plaza Tapatia until now. Anyway, occasionally you just let that go. So, we got a pitcher of red Sangria for $22, a reasonable price and wine not overly watered down with ice but still cool and refreshing with lots of fruit in it. We also ordered a small guacamole for $8, thick and tasty to go with crispy chips. For entrées, we had Huachinango (red snapper) ala Veracruzana $24 and Camarones (prawns, not shrimp) plancha $18. Our meals were simply delicious. Portions were large too. And the presentation was attractive. The snapper and prawns were perfectly cooked, moist and tender (not overcooked). Meals came with rice and beans. The service by Cesar was friendly and attentive. I am glad we finally discovered this gem. We will be back.

First off we got 2 mojitos, a margarita..which they charged us for a frozen margarita and also a house tequila. There was no alcohol noticeable in the margarita. All that could be tasted was simple syrup and water. The mojitos were no better as all I could taste was lime juice and mint from the leaves. We ordered some beers, which were good because they were bottles We ordered our food at 6:45, beef nachos and 4 orders of enchiladas. We didn't get anything for a good hour. I would think the nachos would come out first to share over, with it being an appetizer. The nachos definitely needed more cheese and substance aside from pieces of shredded beef and tortillas but they were decent. The enchiladas were tasteless beyond words. We finished them just to finish them. 3 in our party got sick from the chicken overnight. Not sure what was wrong there but we ended up getting Taco Bell nearby to satisfy our craving. Sad to say we had to resort to Taco Bell after a Mexican Restuarant. Not to mention there were only 4-5 tables outside so there was no reason as to why they were too busy to attend to us. I don't normally write complaints on bad service because I know restaurants need the business, especially now, but this was pretty sad.

Sangria was good, steak tacos were slightly dry, but still ok and guacamole needed more lime and salt. Over all I would give it a 3.5. Gave it 4 stars because COVID protocols were followed to the max and they used a QR code to view the menu, which is nice in today's times.

I was with a my family - 8 of us including two kids and we needed to eat. Yelp lead us Tapatia which stated it could accommodate a group and / kiddie lids. We were not the only group with kids, but it wasn't a childish place, which was fun. Most of us ordered chicken fajitas which were very affordable. The waitress was happy to refill the bowl of chips and salsa. But the food was slow to come out so I wound up eating so many chips, I didn't want my entree. This was my fault. We ordered a large fresh guacamole served out of the stone bowl. This didn't mitigate my chip consumption. Overall the food and service weren't bad. The area surrounding the restaurant is a little dubious, so just beware. But if you go during the day and you're careful, you should enjoy.

The people, drinks, and food, here are excellent. Please y'all take a job here and enjoy working with these good folks.

Very authentic Mexican restaurant. Nestled in a not so safe looking part of town. However, if you just focus on minding your own business you'll be fine. No one will bother you. This place was packed. 30 minute wait by the small bar in the rear of the dinning area. Very gaudy Mexican decor, but I loved it. I really felt like I was at a local restaurant in the heart of a busy Mexican city. The staff were very friendly and worked well as a team in making sure all guests were seated and satisfied. Margaritas were very tasty, food portions were adequate and served very fresh. I recommend the guacamole as an appetizer! I also had the chicken soup. It was very tasty and full of yummy flavors. I ended my meal with a taco salad. It was very good as well. Overall, a very nice experience. I would like to stop in again when it's not so busy to get a better feel of the place.

Terrible, slow service and meh food. I am surprised anyone likes this place, and I was very eager to try it.

Friendly staff and authentic food selections make this a place to check out. The white sangria was really something divine; fresh and full of chunks of apples, pears and oranges. A small pitcher served easily 5 or more servings making it not only delicious but a bargain cocktail. The guacamole appetizer was served in a mocajete but it was hard to tell if it was fresh. I'm gonna give them the benefit of the doubt, but its on the very creamy side just the same. The chips were crisp and the corn tortillas appear to be homemade. All 3 salsas we tried were subtle and delicious. For dinner we tried the fajita mixta special, grilled skirt steak, chicken and shrimp with green and red pepper and onions. The fajitas were good but not very different from any other fajita I've had. The rice was good and the beans had a slight bar-b-que flavor. For dessert we tried a tres leches cake; layers of delicious cake with fresh strawberry filling and covered in a delicious light and airy frosting. Besides the white sangria this was easily the best part of the meal. Friendly staff and authentic food are sure to keep people coming back.

Camarones a la mexicana Shrimp Mexican style Great dish spicy , fresh authentic Mexican flavor ! Food took some time but with the wait . Will definitely come back ! Tacos al pastor delicious!

I wish can give this place -1. 1st of all We are Mexican Restaurant Conosiours. We had been in 100's in USA and in Mexico as well. And I have to say That the 1st time we visited was today, and as soon we look at the place it looks very traditional, cool decor, it makes you feel like you are in Mexico itself. But I'm Not going to rate the decor, as that is Not why I'm here. We sat on the bar and was sticky and dirty, they cleaned it will a smelly cloth, so we decided to go to move to a regular table, and was not much diference, then we got the menus and they were Disgusting and DIRTY, and food was stuck in there. YUCK!. That shows the Lack Caring to be Clean is Definitely Not There. That shocks us, as Menus have to be Clean and Desinfected very single time is used, inside and out. We ordered mix fajitas and we were disappointed, as we had ones way bigger, better flavor and sides according with to the dish and the price, for the same size as here has been charge $13 bucks, bk of the small size. Here was $22 Also we got charged $4. for the chips, when in every other restaurant never got charge, also we notice that the tortillas that came with the fajitas are not fresh made, but from a store bag, also a Disapoiment, they also charge for a the coke $4. My BF when to used the bathroom and he couldn't even used it, as it told me that it had a Horrendous smell coming out of it and was equally dirty when he opened the door. These place Doesn't Step up on the Basics. It Trully Can SAY ... STAY AWAY FROM IT!!!.

Our experience at Plaza Tapatia was fantastic. We came for a birthday celebration. We had very sweet, accommodating waitresses. To start, the guacamole was one of the best I've had. I also tried the Tostadas, Soft tacos carnitas, and Seafood combo. They were all good.

This is the best and most authentic Mexican food ever and especially around us! Food is always so fresh and delicious, service is always great no matter how busy they are. Food comes out super quick, drinks are always made perfectly as well!

Food was excellent. My drink was delicious. Reasonably priced .I didn't give it 5 stars because the service (waitress) was very slow . She was very nice but no where to be found on the floor . Drinks should come before your apps . The portions are on the smaller side but the quality is top notch. So fresh . They charge a fee to use cc 3 percent. We will definitely be back

After our Friday "pre-game" ritual of watching a couple episodes of guy fieri's diners, drive-in's and dives, the "hunger" was starting to settle in. We looked at each other and knew only one thing would cut it- Mexican food! We saddled up and headed down 35 to Asbury. We'd never been to Tapatia. It was very crowded but we were seated instantly. The place was loud and lively and superbly decorated- down the custom engraved "Tapatia" chairs. After toasting to good health over a couple modelos, we dug in to some fresh tortilla chips. I opted for the tamale platter- phenomenal value and the best tamales I've had east of the Mississippi. She went with one the specials - Black bean tostada with some delicious avocado and chicken. I'm not sure how they cook the chicken here but I suggest they patent it- it was really special. Unfortunately there was no room for sopapillas - next time! All kidding aside this is surely the best Mexican food for many miles around. Would suggest!

As stated by other Yelpers, this restaurant is not located in the best area however during the day I would expect no problems. My friends & I arrived at 6pm on Memorial Day, plenty of time to eat & leave before dark. It is off of the beachfront & the area had definitely been clearing out from the shore tourists so I wasn't expecting a crowd. I was surprised when we arrived & there were so many other diners but we were seated promptly. A good sign I thought... We were seated right away & our waitress was fairly quick to wait our table & bring out chips & salsa, which were delicious. She disappeared for extended periods of time after that. We ordered drinks from a extensive drink menu with no prices listed. I found that a little odd & actually had to ask how much my margarita was; I don't like surprises. As it turns out, it was very sweet & syrupy tasting with a small amount of ice in it, making it pretty much room temperature. I didn't bother to have another. We ordered the small guac bowl to share & it was fresh & tasty. We also asked for additional salsa however when the guac was delivered, there was no salsa. I also thought it was a little odd she didn't bring additional chips with the guac bowl but we had half a bowl left. Next I ordered the spiced pork huarache mexican sandal, while my other 2 friends ordered one chicken & one beef huarache sandal. All were supposed to come with avocado; two did, one did not. My spiced pork was a joke. I do not particularly like spicy hot food however there was not even a hint of spice on this pork. Not to mention the dish was rather flavorless. It came with an order of yellow rice as a side which was cold & also tasteless. My friends did seem to enjoy their dishes more. We asked the waitress for a couple of glasses of water & she advised they had no ice. Strange, right, but I guess that explains my margarita? We took the water anyway. It seemed like a very long time between her return to take our plates, let us order dessert, & then bring our bill. Overall it took us almost 3 hours from the time we sat down, to the time we left. So much for leaving before dark. The bill ended up being more expensive than I thought the quality of the food was worth. The service overall was awful, oh & I couldn't help but to notice another waitress bringing water to another table as we were leaving, filled with ice! I have to admit I did like the decor & it was authentic looking but I have no desire at all to return to this restaurant.

Took my family here for Sunday dinner. Chicken way dry and way over cooked. Beef was no better. Service was S-L-O-W!! Server was pre-occupied on her phone to be bothered with us. Had great expectations, but will never return.

Delicious food - friendly service - nice ambience and a tasty sangria make dinning here a real treat. Loved the Mexican music playing in the background and sitting at the bar drinking, eating and talking to my lovely esposa. I could not help the deja vu feeling of being in a San Antonio bar when stationed there for a year in the mid sixties. Oh those lovely chiquitas along the river walk - but that's another story...

Hey guys... So La Tapatia is in Asbury Park New Jersey..... We've been coming here for the past two-and-a-half years. It's always a delicious experience. I'll give you one picture but we've ordered pretty much everything on the menu and again always- never a letdown...

Service was 10/10 and staff was so friendly. Food was authentic and delicious. Drinks were strong.

The perfect traditional Mexican place. AMAZINGLY friendly staff, delicious food, affordable prices, strong drinks. I got a special consisting of 3 dishes and it was only $18. Can't wait to come back!

Food took forever but wasn't bad, I think they cook to the order that's why. Staff a bit unfriendly but overall an ok restaurant

I love taking my wife and enjoying great Mexican food and vibes! I went about a week or so ago and the enchiladas were so good and the horchata was on point. Will be back with the family to spend time together

Excellent! Delicious authentic tacos and the black beans that came with them were very good. Even the yellow rice was tasty. Everything tasted fresh. Carmen my waitress was really great! Can't wait to go back so I can try more dishes on their menu.

Amazing! Stumbled in by accident and now one of our favorite restaurants in Nj. Chicken Quesadillas were incredible, one of best cooked pieces of chicken in recent memory. Taco portions impressive especially for the price and everything seemed very high quality and fresh. Loved it and will drive an hour down to eat there again

My go to spot for eating food portions at reasonable prices in Asbury Park! Their food is always fresh, hot, and delicious and service is always friendly and warm. My typical order is the fajitas and I've never been disappointed; they also have super soft and fresh corn tortillas which is key for good fajitas in my book! This last time I got the veggie fajitas which came with a huge serving of steaming hot and nicely charred bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and onions. I also tried the ceviche for the first time and was very pleased with the freshness and the amount. This may be a bit off the beaten path in the area but I love this hidden gem!

"Fantastic Food. Fantastic Drinks." We heard about this place from a local neighbor while staying in a VRBO. The place was spot on. We waited about 15 minutes for a table (a good sign and we had 6), the wait was worth it. While waiting, head to the bar and relax to a perfect Cadillac margarita. I tried my far share, while in San Diego. This one is up there! I always head to the bathroom as a gauge on the place. They were clean as a whistle! We will head back when in the area.

Food was very good and the inside of the restaurant had a great authentic feel. Was unimpressed with the Margaritas here - tastes like they use Roses Lime Juice.

Our meal was just ok, nothing great nor special. Guacamole tasted weird and was oddly warm(?) The portion sizes were odd as well, they gave little amounts of rice but a lot of beans and (in my case shrimps) a lot of shrimp.The staff were nice kind of slow, but we appreciate the hard work. They were precautious. They are currently offering outdoor seating, the neighborhood made me feel at ease. Cops standing at the corner and just random people sitting down at tables while other people are eating(cops had to be called). Made my experience worse, I did not feel comfortable whatsoever. I personally will not be going back here, who knows maybe you have a different experience!

The food was well worth the wait! It took a little longer than expected to get seated and get our food, but it was delicious! Good quantity and quality! Salsa and guacamole were yummy! An added plus was the clean, cute bathroom!

I love this place but come on, answer your phone. I tried to get delivery for hours but no one in the restaurant answered the phone. Someone in the market picked up twice, told me the restaurant was open and gave me an alternate number which was unanswered as well.

This seems to be the place my friends and I always end up for birthdays. The food is delicious. The place is always packed, showing how popular it is/how good the food is.

This was our first time here and we will be back We were 6 people and each had a different dish. The Paella was delicious, it had shrimp, scallops and lobster enough for two people . The Enchiladas were delicious. Shrimp with cream sauce was to die for. Sangria was perfect. Excellent Service

Been here many times and the food is generally fantastic as are the margaritas. Not tonight. Margaritas were so sweet they were in drinkable and they were playing loud, Childrens' Spanish music the entire time. It was like Chucky Cheese.

It's Cinco de mayo and my co workers wanted to celebrate! We got some tacos and fajitas. The taco tortillas were a little hard but overall great atmosphere and we even received some shot necklaces! Coming back for the drinks for sure since there's a bar!

Being generous with the one star. Slow service, took 35 minutes for beans a rice. Ended up getting it to go. No apology from the waitress. Apparently they make things from scratch but c'mon. That's a bit much. Won't be back.